Keeping up with tradition

As a grown up, I have yet to establish any semblance of roots...and I'm keeping up with tradition.

It started in between my second and final year at CMU--I went from having never lived outside of a 30 minute drive from my parents, to packing up my chubby little yinzer professional clothes and moving to Washington D.C.  After interning on the Hill, I studied abroad in Madrid, Spain (and lost 20 lbs).  After that, I came home for 6 days and moved to Doha, Qatar.

I was back in CMU for my senior spring and the summer after.  That summer, I spent doing research and living a GTL life.  After that amazing summer, I went to Spain and got my masters in bilingual ed.  Then, I peaced out of Spain, having won the Fulbright Scholarship to Hungary.

Hungary was a bit rough on me, what with the death threats and stalkers.  So, I moved back to America and picked Denver to do it.  Since I have been in Denver, I have started 3 jobs (getting more money each time and wondering how the hell I tricked them into hiring me).

Next year, I am off to Cambridge, MA to get my masters in international education policy at Harvard.  The scholarship I got was 25% of my tuition (there are a ton of fucking fees though), and the amount of debt that I have will be comparable to other masters programs to which I was accepted.  Plus, it's fucking Harvard...which was my life goal for a while.

The debt is a lot, I won't lie or make any type of assertion that it's not.  But, my father offered to cover a (large) chunk of it.  And so, today...I sent in my deposit.

It's weird. It's awesome.  It's surreal.

I threw up a little in my mouth whenever I sent in the $250.

Next Stop: Massachusetts!  Then....the world?

Spring Break?

Of all of my friends in Denver, I am one of the few that is not on Spring Break.  To be completely honest, this week I should just be relaxing and being boring.  I have a half-marathon on Sunday, all of Denver smells of heavy smoke...and it's the middle of the work week.  I do have a full-time job...and I technically I do stuff.

For some reason, I have been amping up my random drunk and wildly young and inappropriate nights this week.  This is not the misplaced yinzer that I normally am.

On Monday, I pulled a muscle in my back while lifting weights.  My dad is bomb.com and told me how to fix it.  But, it still hurt.  And I couldn't work out.  And I couldn't take a sick day, because I haven't worked at my job for 90 days (stupid policies that people like myself write).

Anyway, I got pissed at work and decided to go see the Hunger Games after work.  I fully intended to go by myself, but one of my new work colleagues (let's name her KO) said that she wanted to go as well. 

I had to work a bit later than normal, because I was processing payroll.  Because of that, I barely had any time to change/relax/live.  So, I decided to have a glass of wine and make a frozen pizza for dinner.  My glass of wine turned into 2 as I watched the pizza defrost and slowly bake in my high-altitude oven.  When KO came over, I had 2 glasses of wine (within 20 minutes) and had made a half-cooked pizza.  We were late, so I did the only logical thing: I dumped two bottles of wine in nalgenes and threw the dough-y mess of cheese and sausage into a tupperwear container and then ran out of the door.

With 1.5 liters of wine and 3,000 calories of pizza in my bag, I went to the movies.  As I started to watch the Hunger Games, I drank my wine and ate the whole damn pizza.  I was supposed to share both the wine and the pizza, but KO never got up the cojones to ask me for any....and my semi-only child flaired up into overwhelming selfishness.

I have a higher tolerance than some people, but it turns out that two bottles of wine gets me kinda fucked up.  During the movie, I turned hella minority and started to react dramatically.  "BITCH, GET UP OUT DEM DAMN WOODS!" may have unironically escaped from my lips.  I don't feel bad and I don't think that many people judged me.  The odds were ever in my favor.

As I was leaving, KO mentioned that she might be leaving our organization soon.  I didn't mention Harvard, but I told her that it was a good plan and that she should always go after new adventures and more money.  Since working in finance, I have realized that business is business and everyone/everything revolves around money.

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Yesterday, I decided that I was going to relax and have some vino while watching shitty reality television.  2 glasses with dinner was my goal.  My goal was interrupted by a friend inviting me out for their late birthday celebration.  (They were on Spring Break and wanted to get "crunk" on Tuesday.)

Rule #76: No Excuses, play like a champion.

Since I want a surprise birthday party/highly value birthday parties, I finished my reality tv show and bottle of wine, and literally ran 1.5 miles to the bar.  I have no idea why I ran 1.5 miles drunk on wine, but I did.  And more importantly, I was proud that I ran that distance as the dinner and wine sloshed around in my stomach.

Once at the bar, their idea of getting drunk turned into polite conversation over tacos.  I had misread the intentionality of the night, but was totally fine with everything...until I saw my Mexican prom dates.  I got called over by the Mexican pretty girl mafia and then had a kind of epic night.

I spent the entire night cockblocking guys that voraciously were spitting game.  I also spent the entire night having them get me free drinks and challenge people to dance offs.  Post winning dance offs, we would make the group of Denver hipsters buy us shots of tequila.  Then, in Spanish, we would make fun of them for being hipsters.

By no means were we being polite or fun, but people kept coming up and desperately wanted to be our friends.  I'm aware that dudes were spitting game to las bonitas, but everyone was talking to us.  And a bunch of people rocked out a "I really want to be your friend.  Do you come here every Tuesday?" 

First off, I support that comment...because, it's honest.  Second, I don't go out on Tuesday, because I HAVE A FUCKING FULL TIME JOB.  Except, for you know, when I do go out on Tuesday.

Anyway, I gave my business card to people.  I challenged and won dance offs.  I made fun of hipsters, after drinking their drinks....and I got to speak Spanish.  I'd say that was a solid net positive day.

New Job: Week 3

Middle management? Yeah, I'm used to it now.

Just kidding.  I have no idea what the fuck is happening.

I don't think that I am fully aclamated to my new role at the university. I don't know if it is a sign of my yinzer/working class roots, but it is very strange to me to not have tasks assigned to me. Or to produce tangibles.  I generally do whatever I want and get paid a solid middle income salary for it.

This week I conducted employee performance appraisals, and put someone on a performance improvement plan a la my sham of a dismissal.  The difference between this plan and the one I was put on? I fully intend on the individual to succeed and am supportive of her efforts. I have noticed a dramatic improvement, and I think that the conversation was really well-run. I felt professional and compassionate, and I think that I was able to provide appropriate and supportive feedback.

I also have been a bit more excited by my use of an expense account. Technically, I don't have a set amount to spend, but I recently spent $30 on Starbucks giftcards...and it was quick and easy to do.  The best part to me is that no one really approves these expenses. As long as I have a reason I can get some miles on my credit card....and some Starbucks rewards (I may have registered the cards under my account.)

In other news, my life has been relatively boring. I am on another "beyonce" cleanse, and am slowly withering down to nothingness. Though I am aware that I am mostly just losing water weight, it is awesome to pop on a scale and see that you have lost 12 lbs. I'd like to keep this up for a while and get into solid shape for the spring/summer. Especially as spring is here. (70 degree afternoons? Don't mind if I do.)

I'm perma-tired from the lack of caffeine/multiple workouts, but this weekend will hopefully be filled with a Katniss type adventure.

Screw Dublin, I'm going to Denver for St. Patrick's Day

I haven't been in America for a St. Patrick's Day celebration as a legal drinking citizen.  I'm not sure if Denver just takes it's shit seriously (it does have one of the largest celebrations west of the Mississippi), but this holiday was pretty amazing. 

Photo summary:

Went to the parade.  Then decided that I should go on a balcony to get away from the normal people.

Pretty view of Denver! Note the parade below and the mountains behind.

We found pirates....

We confiscated wine glasses from overpriced restaurants.

I got arrested for it.

10 lbs of cornbeef?  We ate it all.

A 2 year old gave me that sticker, and it made my day so much better.

I found an awesome taxi driver (Burns), had Benny Blancos, awkwardly danced with friends, may or may not have gotten hit on, and drank a ridiculous amount.  

I was drunk, or in some state of inebriation, for 12 hours.  Seriously, I had more Irish Car bombs than the IRA. 

I really enjoyed it, and if I do go to graduate school next year, I hope that I can spend some time with these friends.  So happy to have these people in my life, but even more excited to move on to the next.  

Siempre he confiado en la bondad de los desconocidos

Life updates:

1.) I got into CMU Heinz college with a $13,000 per semester scholarship. It's about 60% tuition.  CMU has a few amazing opportunities, mainly that I can study abroad in graduate school and potentially work with TechBridgeWorld. I might be turning down Harvard.  Maybe I'll turn down both and live in Denver for a while.

2.) My second week on the job is done.  I got paid and I laughed at my paycheck.  My goal is to live like I  previously did, and put most of it into savings.  I have purchased a few dinners for folks and drinks.  But, I want to be pretty conservative with my funds. The goal is to save up $12,000 for emergencies.

3.)  On Tuesday, I went to Casa Bonita with Terry (my big brother from SigEp).  I didn't think that Casa Bonita was a real thing....because I had seen it on an episode of South Park.

South Park describes it as Mexican Disneyworld.  That is the most accurate description of anything I have ever heard in my life.  There were pirates, secret caves, a 30 ft waterfall, amazing cliff divers, and potentially the worst Mexican food I have ever had in my life.  Stomach convulsions while watching a gorilla gyrate? Yep, I'm a officially a Casa Bonita Client.

One of the shows.

4.) I went out on Thursday, and my super clever 20-something brain decided that I would get super drunk before hand and then not buy any drinks at the club. Because I was with my friends, they kept buying me drinks. I didn't plan this.

The next morning, I went to Starbucks before work (i had gotten 3 hours of sleep). While I was at the Starbucks, I accidentally knocked over a display of some reusable coffee mug shit that they were selling.  And as I was trying to fix them, the woman asked for my order. I got my normal drink, but with 2 extra shots of espresso. Since it was the first time that I tried to talk, my voice was kind of a mess. What was the cashier's reaction to me?

"Guuuuuuuurrrrrrlll, you need a minute? You be lookin' good, but you be ackin' a damn fool."

Thank you cashier, I did need a minute.

And I do be lookin' good.

I'm pretty sure that I went to work still a little bit drunk.  I got way too excited when songs came on Pandora and then ordered pizza for everyone for lunch. I also spent a majority of my day talking with folks and being social.

As I was talking with people, several told me that I was doing an amazing jobs and that my office is already much better run. To me, I look at it...and I think, "OH Fuck." Others look at it and think...."not bad."  I'm just...ugh...surprised? Apparently, I am doing well in my job. And, even better, I like my colleagues and NONE of us try to hang out with one another.  It's fucking glorious.

Life is going well, and I'm excited to make some decisions about my future when I hear about my finances.

New Job: Week 1

I need to dumb myself down in interviews.  The fact that I portray myself as a competent individual is only leading to me getting in way over my head.

My new job is awesome...but, it's really scary.  And, to be 100% honest, I'm not sure if I am qualified to do it.  I really don't think of myself as a grown-up in any aspect of the word, so...it's strange to me, that I am doing the stuff that I am.

This week, I wrote the tuition payment plan for my university.  I literally created a policy, put it into place, and that shit is going live in May (for the summer semester).  I made it so that students could pay in segments, took away a review process, and stopped charging interests (a $25 fee replaced it).  After I did that, I translated it into Spanish and am bringing on folks to translate it into other languages.  Plus, I ordered Adobe InDesign and plan to do some design work to make it look pretty.  Generally, I just do whatever I feel like.

It's fucking weird.

I'm going to be working with my employees soon and develop better systems....potentially working towards holding them accountable.  It's so weird to have someone apologize to me, because they were 10 minutes late.  It's weird that I manage people that are double my age.  And it's kind of awesome that none of them want to disturb my "work" (i.e. listening to Pandora and Facebooking).

This whole thing has been really cool, but I don't really understand what I'm doing.  Correction: I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.  But, I'm happy at work...and I generally feel that I am learning a lot.

In other news, I am fundraising for Breakthrough Collaborative: Denver. Breakthrough Collaborative was the amazing organization that first got me interested in education and concerned about the achievement gap.   I am super excited to do this, and I have already raised $161 (minimum)!  (All donations made by alumni get multiplied by 3).  I am shooting for between $500-$1,200.  That's enough to sponsor a student/teacher for the summer....and I'm confident that I'm going to get it. *cough* donate money *cough*

Harvard, Schmarvard

I just got into the best education analysis program in the country.

Watch the video congrats, here.

I'm still not 100% going, but it's pretty fun to be accepted.

1st Day of Work

I never lie in an interview.  I figure if I'm not competent for a job, then I shouldn't get it.  I may, however, speak in hyperboles.  Hyperboles are how I live my life, and I feel like they sometimes get me into funny situations.

I have no fucking clue how I got the current job that I did.  I'm not an accountant.  I never took an accounting class.  I don't really know all that much about management, higher education, or monetary policy.

Today, was my first day, and here is the most important lessons my supervisors told me.

"You are a manager, so you make your own work."

"Don't be afraid to delegate."

I instantly fell in like with my supervisors.

I spent today trying to teach myself two new software systems, figure out the jobs of the people that I manage (I manage 3 professional women.  Like real people with degrees and shit.), and decorate my office.

I have an office that's huge; like overwhelmingly large.  It has two windows, bookshelves, cabinets.  I feel that there is pressure to decorate it?  But I don't really know what that means.  If one of my friends makes me a painting, I'll take it for the office.  Maybe I should hang up my degrees?  I don't know what to do.  It's so big.  I have a sitting area.  A goddamn sitting area.

Unlike the previous NGO job, everyone was very academic-oriented. The first question for most people was, "Where'd you go to school?"  Thankfully, I have an uuber snooty response of "I did my undergraduate in public policy at Carnegie Mellon, my masters in Spain, and then won the Fulbright to teach and study Hungarian gender norms." Thankfully, people gave me the respect I deserve.

I am really excited to be back in an academic setting.  I love the diversity.  I love that I'm going to easily drop into Spanish.  I love that I see some of these people actually pursuing the American dream.  It is so, so, so inspiring to see an immigrant student or an undocumented worker pay for a college education on his or her own.  I know that it's stupid, but I wanted a job where I could feel like I'm making a difference and helping close the achievement gap and help at-risk folks.  Here, for the moment, I think that I might be able to do that.

There is still a chance that I'm just going to say fuck it and move to China.  I have another year to find the love of my life, and then I'm packing my bags for the Far East.  It will be superfantabulous, or it won't be....but at least my passport would get filled up and I'd appreciate America more.  

Retox: 80s edition

One of my favorite things about Spain was that everyone was batshit crazy.  It was really simple to call up a few people, get drunk on manzana, paint your faces like pandas, and then run around the Madrid metro system.

I am trying to instill that type of light-hearted fun back into my life.  Following a 10 day detox, I was more than a little bit excited to dress up in 80s clothes, get super drunk, and dance the entire night away.

I think that the funniest thing about an 80s party is that...well, people really dressed like this and thought that it was normal.  Err....even better, people dressed like that and the entire time they thought, "Damn, I be lookin' goooood."

My retox worked really well.  I laughed, I gchatted with a former student, and well...don't remember too, too much. And what I do remember is totally not appropriate for any type of future I may have.

The group

Also, I looked online at some previous pictures from the last 80s party that I went to.  Can you see the weight loss I've had?  It's funny to me, because I feel like I looked like I was wearing a fatsuit, just a few years ago.  Though my retox was fun, I want to keep my stomach tight and my face not chubby.

I Should Quit My Job More Often...

I decided to take the new position as a business manager with a local university, leaving behind my job at a progressive non-profit.  May I still go to graduate school?  Yep.  But, life changes quickly.  And I still might move back to Spain, become a go-go dancer and make my life frolicking around Europe.  (I actually just got an e-mail from a Chinese teaching recruiter, offering me a position in China with Chinese lessons, free airfare, and a monthly salary of $2,500.  It gave me pause.)

Anyway, my last two days at work have just been bomb.com.  I have been taken out to lunch and dinner and bought really fancy presents.  The people I supervise bought me a plant, because I need to decorate my fancy new office.  My supervisor bought me a really sweet (expensive) bowtie.  It came from Macy's, and my tiny little yinzer heart went a pitter-patter.  Macy's is still hella classy.

Goodbye Presents

Anyway, the past few days made me feel really appreciated and that I had a done good job over the past 7 months.  It was bittersweet to leave everyone, but I'm sure that the organization will continue on without me....and that I separated at a good time.  The campaign that we are currently working on is about to end, and it isn't Senate/Presidential election time....so, I don't feel too, too bad.

I got paid out all of my vacation time, a fancy bowtie, and a really nice dinner in the process.  Pretty good end, I'd say.